Adaptable seat

ABSTRACT

An adaptable seat having a supporting frame, and one or more supporting cushions appropriately arranged and fixed to the supporting frame to support the occupant; each supporting cushion having an outer shell and a filler; and the adaptable seat being characterized in that the outer shell of each supporting cushion has electrically controlled deforming means for selectively deforming the outer shell to adjust the shape of the supporting cushion; an electronic central control unit being provided to control the electrically controlled deforming means.

[0001] The present invention relates to an adaptable seat.

[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to an adaptable seat for motor vehicles and similar, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] As is known, in recent years, a demand has arisen to equip high-performance motor vehicles with seats capable of adapting certain characteristics, such as stiffness or body support, to the attitude of the vehicle, and which, in particular, can be made stiffer and more supportive in a racing attitude, but without impairing the comfort of the seat under normal driving conditions.

[0004] By way of a solution to the problem, adaptable seats have been developed featuring a series of bladders, which are inflated or deflated on command by an electronic central control unit to adapt the stiffness and shape of the seat rapidly to driver requirements and/or the attitude of the vehicle.

[0005] Adaptable seats of the above type, however, are seriously handicapped by a relatively slow response time, and by being extremely complicated and expensive to produce. In addition to an electronic central control unit, such seats, in fact, also require a compressor for supplying pressurized air, and a solenoid valve assembly for controlling air flow to and from the individual bladders.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide an adaptable seat designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided an adaptable seat comprising a supporting frame, and at least one supporting cushion fixed to the supporting frame to support the occupant; said at least one supporting cushion comprising an outer shell and a filler; and the adaptable seat being characterized in that the outer shell of said supporting cushion comprises electrically controlled deforming means for selectively deforming the outer shell to adjust the shape of the supporting cushion.

[0008] The present invention also relates to a vehicle comprising at least one adaptable seat as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 shows a view in perspective, with parts removed for clarity, of an adaptable seat in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

[0011]FIG. 2 shows a larger-scale section of a cushion of the FIG. 1 seat;

[0012]FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the FIG. 2 cushion in two different configurations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Number 1 in FIG. 1 indicates as a whole an adaptable seat which may be used to advantage on motor vehicles and similar.

[0014] Adaptable seat 1 comprises an inner supporting frame 2 made preferably, though not necessarily, of metal and/or plastic materials; one or more supporting cushions 3 (twelve in the example shown) appropriately arranged and fixed to inner frame 2 to support the occupant; and upholstering 4 made preferably, though not necessarily, of leather and/or select fabrics.

[0015] Supporting cushions 3 are shaped according to the location on the seat, and comprise a closed, appropriately shaped outer shell 6; and a filler 7 which may be defined indifferently by pressurized gas, known foam padding or similar.

[0016] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, outer shell 6 is defined by an elastic sealing membrane 8 capable of preventing leakage of filler 7, be it gas or foam; and by an active membrane 9 made at least partly of composite material deformable on command by applying a voltage.

[0017] More specifically, active membrane 9 is made at least partly of a composite material comprising active fibers of a material with piezoelectric properties. When subjected to an electric field, the fibers are deformed and altered in length to deform the enclosing body. The type of deformation produced depends, obviously, on how the active fibers of piezoelectric material are distributed within the body.

[0018] More specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 2, a longitudinal portion 9 a of active membrane 9 is defined by a layer 9 a of active composite material comprising one or more (in the example shown, two) flat belts 10 of monofilament active fibers 11 embedded in a matrix 12 of polymer material; and two surface electrodes 13 made of electrically conducting material and located on opposite sides of flat belts 10.

[0019] So located, electrodes 13 define a parallel-plate capacitor capable of generating between its plates, i.e. in the space in which monofilament active fibers 11 are distributed, an electric field depending on the voltage applied to electrodes 13.

[0020] The monofilament active fibers 11 in each flat belt 10 are made, as stated, of material with piezoelectric properties, so as to change in length when subjected to an electric field, and extend parallel to one another along the whole length of longitudinal portion 9 a. More specifically, in the example shown, monofilament active fibers 11 of each flat belt 10 extend parallel to one another along a substantially straight path from one lateral edge of the cushion to the other.

[0021] It should be pointed out that flat belts 10 may also be arranged so that the monofilament active fibers 11 in one belt are perpendicular to those in the other belt, so as to obtain a fabric capable of deforming in two perpendicular directions.

[0022] It should also be pointed out that outer shell 6 may also be defined by one membrane made at least partly of composite material deformable on command by applying a voltage, and which at the same time prevents leakage of the filler from supporting cushion 3.

[0023] In the example shown in FIG. 2, each surface electrode 13 is defined by a copper mesh arranged evenly on or close to the surface of layer 9 a of composite material, and monofilament active fibers 11 are made of piezoceramic material, such as lead zirconate titanate (known as PZT) currently produced by CeraNova Corporation in America.

[0024] With reference to FIG. 1, adaptable seat 1 also comprises an electronic central control unit 5 for controlling and producing controlled deformation of active membrane 9 of each supporting cushion 3 on command, and so compressing or expanding supporting cushion 3 to alter its shape and stiffness.

[0025] More specifically, electronic central control unit 5 is connected electrically to electrodes 13 on active membrane 9 of each supporting cushion 3, and provides for selectively imposing a given, possibly time-variable, electric potential difference between electrodes 13 to deform monofilament active fibers 11 and so produce controlled deformation of the cushion.

[0026] With reference to FIG. 3, assuming monofilament active fibers 11 contract when subjected to an electric field, and that supporting cushion 3 is filled with pressurized gas, electronic central control unit 5 may, in given operating conditions, activate active membrane 9 to reduce the volume and at the same time increase the stiffness of the cushion. When the volume of supporting cushion 3 is reduced, the occupant obviously sinks down and is enclosed more firmly in the seat.

[0027] Given the extremely fast response of the system, electronic central control unit 5 may possibly also control active membrane 9 of each supporting cushion 3 as a function of signals from one or more sensors located on the vehicle. For example, using accelerometer signals, as the vehicle approaches maximum traction, electronic central control unit 5 may stiffen the lateral supporting cushions 3 of the seat to give the driver direct and suitably advanced warning of impending danger.

[0028] In addition, electronic central control unit 5 may control active membranes 9 of supporting cushions 3 to eliminate frame vibration transmitted from the vehicle to the driver, by stiffening some of supporting cushions 3 alternately and in phase opposition with the vibration.

[0029] Preferably, though not necessarily, electronic central control unit 5 may control active membranes 9 of supporting cushions 3 to massage the driver's body while driving.

[0030] Operation of adaptable seat 1 as described and illustrated herein is self-explanatory.

[0031] The advantages of the present invention are obvious: adaptable seat 1 has a much faster response as compared to similar currently marketed products, and, being extremely straightforward and lightweight in design, drastically reduces weight and size problems.

[0032] Adaptable seat 1 as described and illustrated also has the further advantage of improving driving comfort and greatly enhancing the active safety level of the vehicle. The driver's attention span, in fact, is improved by immediately adapting the characteristics of the seat to the actual driving conditions of the vehicle.

[0033] Adaptable seat 1 with active membranes 9 can be integrated easily into inflation and deflation systems of known cushions to provide for additional adjustment.

[0034] Clearly, changes may be made to adaptable seat 1 as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0035] In particular, outer shell 6 of one or more supporting cushions 3 may be provided with two or more independent active membranes 9 to provide for additional adjustment. 

1) An adaptable seat (1) comprising a supporting frame (2), and at least one supporting cushion (3) fixed to the supporting frame (2) to support the occupant; said at least one supporting cushion (3) comprising an outer shell (6) and a filler (7); and the adaptable seat (1) being characterized in that the outer shell (6) of said supporting cushion (3) comprises electrically controlled deforming means (9) for selectively deforming the outer shell (6) to adjust the shape of the supporting cushion 2) An adaptable seat as claimed in claim 1, characterized by comprising an electronic central control unit (5) for controlling on command said electrically controlled deforming means (9). 3) An adaptable seat as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said electrically controlled deforming means (9) comprise an active membrane (9) made at least partly of composite material deformable on command by application of a voltage. 4) An adaptable seat as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said active membrane (9) is made at least partly of composite material comprising active fibers (11) made of material having piezoelectric properties; said active fibers (11), when subjected to an electric field, being deformable by changing in length to deform the body in which they are enclosed. 5) An adaptable seat as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said active membrane (9) is defined at least partly by a layer of active composite material (9 a) comprising at least one flat belt (10) of active fibers (11) embedded in a matrix (12) of polymer material, and two electrodes (13) made of electrically conducting material and located on opposite sides of said at least one flat belt (10) of active fibers (11); said active fibers (11) being monofilament fibers. 6) An adaptable seat as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said active fibers (11) extend parallel to one another along a substantially straight path. 7) An adaptable seat as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said active fibers (11) are made of piezoceramic material, such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT). 8) An adaptable seat as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that each said electrode (13) comprises a mesh (13) of electrically conducting material arranged on or close to the surface of said layer of active composite material (9 a). 9) An adaptable seat as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the outer shell (6) of said supporting cushion (3) comprises an elastic sealing membrane (8) to prevent leakage of the filler (7). 10) A vehicle, characterized by comprising at least one adaptable seat (1) as claimed in claim
 1. 11) A vehicle as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the electronic central control unit (5) of said adaptable seat (1) is capable of controlling said electrically controlled deforming means (9) on the basis of signals relative to the driving conditions of the vehicle. 